Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-10-20
SET IN DIAMONDS.
Bv Charlotte NJ. Braeme.
CHAPT X XLVIlI.
MIST SEE HER

y
of them, even ever so slightly or family,
guessed at the truth At last, by some
sudden inspiration, the young duchess
turned to her father.
80 apa," she said,' "here we are puz-
cling ourselves as to how the locket
came to be in Mrs. Grey's box; we have
first asked one then the other, ut has
not occurred to us to ask Mrs. Grey
herself, the only one who could explain
it."
Husband and father looked at each
her with a start of surprise.
II wonder" cried Lord Stair. "that
we ne er thought of that before
1.-The most sensible idea we have had
yet,' said the duke. "'The question is,
who shall go to see her? | should
perhaps have the most authority"
IL should ha no influence at all, "
said Lord Stair, "as have never seen
the woman"
~ think" said the young duchess,
IF were permitted to 90, she would
be more inclined to trust me; she always
liked me"
"My dearest Ethel" cried the duke,
looking at his wife beautiful face and
dainty figure, al would not have you
90 to such place for all the world"
IL should not mind it in the least,
she replied. Il can not tell how or why
it IS, but | love Mrs. Grey. Ito tell
you the truth, Fulke-l should like to
go to her.
"You could 90 to the prison with
her." said Lord Stair to the duke. al
think it will be the best plan. l can
not bear the sense of mystery"
Il have been thinking" said the
duchess, that, after all, there NAV tie
soma commonplace solution of what
seems TO be myst ~. II my dear
mother did, as Lady Ho tie saws, wear
the locket when she eft home on that
most fatal journey, she must have lost
it. or, after the accident, it may have
been picked up and sold or given away. "
but why, in that case, should she
declare herself guilty?" said Lord Stair.
and his face was strangely troubled.
">he always persisted in declaring her
self guilty"
Yes added the duchess, "but
noticed that she never said guilty of
what, and / shall never believe that she
was guilty of the theft.
There was no theft on her part y
said Lord Stair, eff she did not take
the portrait from you. If, as you sur
mise, it came into her possession by
accident, or by some chance of which
we know nothing, how could it be a
theft?"
.'If she did not believe it to be a theft
why should she call herself guilty?"
persisted the duke. Another thing"
he added, "why did she show so much
emotion and agitation? DO You re-
member, Ethel, she was like woman
suddenly bereft Of her senses; do you
remember her wild white face, how
she knelt down to you, how she prayed
even of the lawyer TO make n effort TO
save herr Underneath all this there is
my stery, feel sure"
yet another thinr," sd Lord Stair
"Supposing that the locket became hers
either by accident or by purchase. why
should she keep it hiddenP One would
have thought that she would have sold
the gold and the diamonds long ago,
and destroyed the portrait; why should
she have kept that?"
s'She was evidently very frightened
at its being SEEM" said the duke. 81
shall never forget her face when the
locket was put into Ethels hands;
never thought ones countenance could
express so much agony. Then after
ward" he continued. 'her fear seemed
to die, and strange, sorrowful kind oil
dignity infolded her. She was the
strangest woman, and it is the most
mysterious case know
.'Shall we have any illiculty IN get
ting permission to see her?' asked Lord
Stair.
Il should say not" replied the duke
"we can get permission from the Home
Secretary. II is a mystery which should
be cleared. How did she come into
possession of the locket, and why did
she guard it in that peculiar fashion,
Papa" asked the duchess, 81 have
heard you speak of my mothers maid
what was her namep"
"Phobe Askern," replied ord Stair
promptly.
What kind of woman was she?'
Il hardly remember, / saw so little
of her, Ethel, replied Lord Stair Ssh,
was not at all like your pretty maiC
Jennie She was tall and had fair hair
Your mother liked her much"
Lady Holte thought she had rur
away with money and Jewels belonging
TO my mother, for she was never seer
after my mothers death"
$40, the general impression was tina
she made the best of it for herself.
do not remember much about her.
was too i'll and too distressed. Why dt
you inquire, EthelP"
81 was wondering il it were not pos
sible that she had stolen the locket an,
sold it or lost it." replied the duchess
THAT would not account for the agi
tation and distress of Mrs. Grey" re
piled Lord Stair 1--WE are as wide a
ever from the truth"
Have YOU never heard one word O
from this Phoebe Askern since m
mot er's death, papa?"
mo, never one word" he replied
''Indeed, until to-day 1 am not sur
that / have ever thought of her, | saw
so very little of her. What makes yo,
look so strange, EthelP"
"A strange idea, papa, but one whic
dspels all mystery. / have been won
dering if it could be possible that thi
Mrs. Grey is really h@be Askern, m
mothers maid"
II should not wonder" said Lor
Stair, and the duke uttered bitter CT
of surprise.
1--WE have been most stupid not t
think of that before now" he said. I"
feel sure you are right, Ethel, and thai
as you say, dispels the mystery.
Phoebe Askern ran away whe
Lady Stair died and took wi he
Jewels ar money. she would NATURAL